The Quick-Witted Quintuplets
by Xiuzou
Summary: Rule 63 of the internet: If it exists, there's a gender-bent version of it. Uesugi Fuuka is a pretty, and popular girl; top grades and suitors are a daily occurrence. Despite this, she eats alone at lunch every day. Until one day, a fateful encounter will shift her life upside down
1. Chapter 1

"And done. Somebody call the groom." It's finally time.

"He's fallen asleep. Wake help me, let's wake him up." For me to turn this dream into my reality.

* * *

"Udon, with two of each tempura. And uhh...a pudding." Uesugi orders from the school cafeteria. It totals to over 1000 yen, and this is just for lunch. Taking her food, she glides across the cafeteria, the other students staring wistfully at her. What reaches her ears is the usual noise of the cafeteria.

"Look, Uesugi-chan is eating alone again."

"Give it up dude, the she's way out of your league."

"But still, do you think I can talk to her?" The students start to murmur as the long haired blonde makes her way to her table in a lonely corner of the cafeteria.

"Talk all you want, it doesn't matter to me. I wonder where Maeda-chan is?" She goes to place her tray on the table.

_**Clack!**_

* * *

"Excuse me!" The boy next to her says, getting her attention. She takes a quick glance at him. The people nearby go silent for half a second, their attention grabbed by his voice. The air is still as the tension builds. Like a bomb getting defused, what happens next could lead to a catastrophe.

"That isn't our uniform. A transfer, huh?" She thinks as she analyzes his white and navy clothes. His crimson hair is long, flowing, but unkept. Around his neck is a silver chain-link necklace; a golden star with a ruby in the middle as the centerpiece.

"I was here first, if you would be so kind to please move to another table." He says sternly. Uesugi looks at him, smirking as she pulls up a chair and sits down at the table. The students around them all sigh, almost pitying the redhead.

"I sat down first, if you would be so kind to please go away." She mocks him, causing him to take a few steps back. He takes a deep breath and sits down across from her.

"So that's how it is." She says, pulling out her phone and checking her socials. A new song making it's run, some celebrity drama, and a cat video; the usual suspects. An empty smile forms on her face as she absentmindedly puts noodles to her mouth. She hears a sigh and looks up at him.

"At least show some respect to the food. It's impolite to be using your phone while eating." He says, his eyes peeking up from behind a book.

"You're one to talk." She says coldly, glancing at his untouched bowl of rice.

"Just rice? Is he on a diet? He's..." She looks back at him. His face is pale, almost ghastly. He constantly sways side to side and his eyes seem unfocused even when they're looking at his book. "...so frail."

"At least I'm distracted with something useful. What're you doing? Did Justine Bieber release a new love song?"

Uesugi doesn't reply, letting him prattle on his own; at most she nods her head when she hears him ask a question. One minute, then two, then four, how long is he going to go on for? She decides to pry her eyes away from her screen again, finding him slowly getting to the bottom of his rice.

"You know, I'm starting to wonder how your grades are faring when you can't even pay attention to someone sitting across your own table." He says. He slowly inches his hands to a test paper hidden underneath her tray.

"Not paying attention? How rude of you to assume." She feigns hurt.

"You just agreed to being the president of Serbia, working in a maid café, and being the school janitor's cousin when I asked you." He smirks, causing her to lean back.

"You asked me that?"

"No, but your response just now just proved that you really weren't paying attention. Now let's see, Uesugi Fuuka scored..." He slips the paper out and holds it above his head.

* * *

"100! A perfect score. Wow, I'm sorry..." He says, bowing his head.

"Serves you right for jumping to conclusions. Now hand it back." She says condescendingly, holding out her hand to get her paper.

"...is what I would say if you actually answered this test. The essay gave it away. The way you wrote your name changed in the essay compared to the one used to identify your paper." He hands it back, lifting his head to reveal a sick grin. Uesugi grimaces, she's been caught.

"Just who is this guy?" She thinks silently as his eyes dart back to his book. She sits there trying to get a read on him for a while, secretly snapping a picture to maybe use against him. She was just about to leave when she hears his stomach growl. He bends down, clutching his gut with one arm while still trying to read his book.

"Here. Take it." She hands over half of her tempura, and her pudding. He looks at it, just looks at it. He stares back at his book before closing it, probably to memorize his current page.

"Thank you, but I don't need your pity. Though, I'd advise you not to eat that as well, you're starting to get fat." He gets up, taking his tray and his book and heading off out of her vision.

"FAT!? Why you little sh-" She exclaims as he leaves the cafeteria. "Well whatever, I never have to deal with him again, probably." She huffs, finishing her food with furious chewing.

* * *

"My name is Nakano Goro. It's nice to meet you." He takes a bow, brushing through his hair with his hands. The redhead looked around the room, his eyes stopping at Fuuka.

"That's Shirozaki's uniform, right?"

"That school? Isn't that near the slums?" The class was cautious of him. Goro scoffs, not wanting to grace their thoughts with a reaction.

"The slums? His lunch and physique make more sense now. It's almost enough to make me pity him, almost." Fuuka mumbles to herself, resting her head on her desk.

"Nakano-kun, you may take the seat at the back." Goro walks to the back, passing Uesugi on the way. She glances up at him, expecting a smirk or an annoyed frown. She was shocked to see him look apologetic, maybe a little sad too.

* * *

"I'm home! Raito, what do you want for dinner?" She opens the door to her and her brother's apartment, a luxury suite on the top floor of a high-rise, there were six rooms: Their parents, hers, his, and three guest rooms. It was quiet, the only other person there was a boy around ten years old, sitting at the dining table. He has his head hunched down over a book, with more piled neatly beside him and papers stacked just beyond that.

"The usual. I'm not going to eat much." Raito replies, turning the page and taking one of the sheets of paper into his hand.

"You study too much, you've got to learn to live a little." Fuuka jests as she makes her way to the kitchen. "Let's see...looks like we have everything." She pulls out some vegetables and spices and sets a pot on the stove with a little oil. In time, she finishes cooking and plating everything.

"You never get tired to dad's recipes, huh? How about we try making one of his desserts." She asks him, looking at her phone again.

"Maybe. By the way, mom called earlier. She found you some help with your studies." Raito places his spoon into his mouth.

"How did she know? My report cards aren't even showing bad grades."

"I told her. Cheating won't get you anywhere in life."

"Stick in the mud."

"I don't care about your opinion, slob. Thanks for the food." Raito says, washing his dishes and going back to his studies.

* * *

"Those two. Always trying to force me to do something. Who needs a tutor? I'll be fine as long as I don't get caught." She thinks silently, getting her food and making her way across the cafeteria again.

"You're still reading that? I'd be done with that by now." A demeaning voice says, causing her to turn her gaze their way.

"Well sorry. Futaji, please don't forget that we're not as good at English as you are." Goro replies, finding him sitting at a table with four other guys.

"Still, _On the Origin of Species,_ you never stop studying do you?" Another boy says, slightly less demeaning and more curious than the one before.

Goro looks up from his book, making a quick scan on his friends and spotting Fuuka in his periphery. He tries to stand to walk up to her, but she jerks her head away and walks off.

She arrives at her table, sitting down with her lunch. "Maeda-chan still isn't here, huh?"

"Hey there. Goro-kun seems to have his eye on you." A hand rests on the other side of her table as one of Goro's friends sits across from her.

* * *

She glares at him, his hair just as wild and unkept as Goro's. Around his neck is a choker featuring a single silver fountain pen head as it's design. He's wearing their uniform, but he has a yellow wind breaker over it, with only one sleeve filled; his other arm resting inside.

"Tell him he has no chance. As for you, I'd like to be alone, so beat it." She says, annoyed by that wide smirk on his face.

"Cold. You know, that's why you don't have a boyfriend." He takes the other chair, flips it backwards, and takes a seat.

"Don't need one. Go away."

"Come on, even if it's not Goro, I'm sure one of us has caught your eye." He says teasingly, flipping his hair back and flashing a smile.

"I'd never be caught dead with you. Leave." She grips her chop sticks. He concedes, getting up out of his chair.

"Well, I'm always available for a pretty lady like you, you can count on Hitonari onii-san for that at least." He jokes, heading back to his table.

"Onii-san? We're in the same grade." She mumbles to himself, placing a piece of tempura in her mouth.

* * *

"Cheating is fine as long as I don't get caught." She broods, snapping her chopsticks apart.

"As long as I don't get caught, but that guy..." She furrows her brow.

"_Uesugi-saaan_"

"He knows. Will he snitch? Who am I kidding, he's definitely the type of guy to rat me out." Gritting her teeth, she starts eating.

"Uesugi-saaan."

"What to do? I don't want to deal with him, but..."

"**UUUUUUUEEEEEEESSUUUGIIII-SAAAAAN!**"

"Yes?" She looks up from her lunch, finding another guy with his face up to her. She leans back in shock. "Did you just try to kiss me? Pervert!" She exclaims, covering her face.

"Took you long enough to look up from your food. Here, which one is yours? Is it this one with answers taken from the internet, or this one with actual answers?" He holds up two tests to her face.

She looks up, seeing the boy wearing a cap with a green wolf print as it's design; it hides most of his hair, but his bangs are just barely visible from her angle. Along with the uniform, he has a green tie around his collar, though it's untied; a yellow track jacket covers the rest of his clothing, obscuring any accessories on his arm if he had any.

"Uhh...this one?" She points to the one that isn't hers. It clearly isn't hers, the name on it says "Shin"

"Ah, liar. You're wrong." He says, taking the papers away.

"I wonder what the teachers would say if they knew the top student was a dirty liar." He says with a goofy smile, walking away.

Uesugi's eyes widen. She was dumb, but not that dumb. She knew that if she lost sight of him, then it wouldn't be good. She was torn, ultimately deciding to at least finish her chicken and most of her rice. "Alright."

She follows him around, ignoring the bell.

"You know, I've never really seen anyone cheat on a test before. It's almost enough to make me hate you." He says, not looking at her.

"I've never seen someone resort to underhanded tactics. It **is **enough to make me hate you." She replies.

"You know, at first I thought of you as popular and has a lot of friends. I guess I can add hypocrite to that list now. Also, why are you following me?"

"Give me my test back and I'll leave."

"Is that it? My bad, here." He hands over her test. "Be on your way now."

"Ugh, this is why I hate talking to people." Fuuka thinks to herself as she gets back to class. "By the way, you know your friend, Nakano Goro really pissed me off yesterday. Tell him that if he crosses me again, I'll kill him." Uesugi clenches her fist.

"If you want to threaten him, say it to his face." He smiles as she waves her off, parting in the hallway to go into their respective classrooms.

* * *

"Ugh, he's with his friends again." She mutters to herself as she walks out of the school grounds after school. He glances over to her direction, saying something to his friends and pointing her way. He's wearing the school uniform now, the same necklace around his neck. The only additions are a red Harrington jacket, and red rimmed glasses resting on his nose. His friends beside him, two boys around his height.

The first is wearing an overcoat with two purple feathers arranged like a laurel crown design on the back, a bracelet with two feathers is on his right wrist. His hair is slightly better than Goro's, though not very well styled; left to fall into place with at most a brush of his hand.

"You know Goro. You need to eat more, you're starting to worry me." He says, placing a hand on Goro's shoulder.

"I'll try. I don't want to resort to pity meals if possible. I have my pride." He says, still reading the same book. "I'll go on ahead, I'll see you there."

* * *

"Having fun?" The other one walks over to Fuuka. His head is obscured by his deep blue hoodie, though a pair of earphone wires come up from inside the zipped up garment.

"Whatever can you mean? Please leave me alone." Fuuka starts to walk away. He just stands there, looking at her. "Don't follow me or I'll call the police."

"You were watching us, weren't you? Are you looking for Goro?"

"What of it? It's none of your business. Go away."

"I haven't moved, you just stopped walking." He says, walking back to the one with the overcoat.

* * *

"Sheesh. One annoying guy after another. What's next? I turn around and find that last one following me?" She turns around. "Leave me alone! Stalkers!"

"Leave this to a professional, Sanzo. Let me show you how it's done." The one in the overcoat says, stepping in front of hoodie boy. "So, we're kinda lost. Can you help us get to-" He pins her against a nearby wall, his arm in her path.

"I don't care! Leave or else I will call the police." She interrupts him, pushing his arm out of the way and walking in the direction of a large apartment complex.

"Let's not overcomplicate things." Hoodie boy, Sanzo, pipes up. The two of them follow her.

"I have a lot to deal with already! Just leave!" She yells, but they keep walking towards her. She huffs, running to her destination: home. Entering the building, she dashes into the elevator and shuts it. "Ugh, why did all those asses appear all of a sudden?"

* * *

"Finally, no more annoying guys. Just me and..." She pants as she exits the elevator. "What are you doing here? Did you come to rat me out to my brother?" Fuuka stares daggers at Goro, who is waiting at her door. "Leave. I have a tutor coming and I don't want to get even angrier today."

"Well, Uesugi-chan. I hate to break it to you, but we're your tutors." Goro says gloomily.

"What? Do you know what I've been through because of you and your friends today?! I have half a mind to fire you right here, right no-...did you say we?"

Just then, the other elevator comes up to the floor. Sanzo, Shin, Hitonari, and the one she didn't get the name of; all of them walk out, bickering amongst themselves. They pause as they look to the door, then to Goro, and finally to Fuuka.

"Ugh, why'd it have to be your friends? Dealing with one is annoying enough!" She sinks to the floor. Her head gets hot with anger as her blood pressure rises and her veins bulge.

"Well, if you hire one, you hire the others. We're the quintuplet geniuses after all." Goro says, walking to his brothers' side.

"Hahaha...could this get any worse? This is a dream right?" Fuuka thinks to herself. Hanging her head down and looking at the floor, she slams her fists repeatedly at the tile. "This is

"Still, we need a better title. How about Hitonari and the four stooges?" Hitonari suggests. The others glare at him, all five of them unamused.

* * *

"Turn that dream into reality, huh?" A man in a grooms outfit says. Fuuka standing beside him in her wedding dress, her long black hair tied neatly underneath her veil. "You must mean our time together. Hitonari, Futaji, Sanzo, Shin, Goro. The time the six of us spent together really felt like a dream."

"It still does now. But I won't let this dream leave, I don't want to wake up from it. Which is why..." The doors swing open.

* * *

"I want to go to sleep." Fuuka says, done with everything that happened because of these quintuplets.

* * *

**A/N:** Currently revising the series, which explains why I deleted the chapters. Will rewrite them and release them once I feel like I've improved them. Leaving this message now. Will rewrite this chapter after updating this to show this note to readers.

* * *

**A/N****2: **Changes made: Grammar corrections, a few character interactions added and changed.


	2. Chapter 2

"You're kidding right mom?" Fuuka asks on her phone. "Five tutors? Isn't that going a bit overboard?" Fuuka turns around, seeing the boys already making themselves at home. Raito is nowhere to be found. "But mom...alright, I understand." She hangs up, pocketing the phone and walking inside stone-faced.

"Well, you've already met each of us. But let us properly introduce ourselves." Goro stands up, dusting himself off. "My name is Nakano Goro, I will be your tutor." He bows, his hair falls in front of his eyes and he has to brush it away. Fuuka grits her teeth, it all started with him after all.

"Boooooriiing! She'll never learn anything if you put her to sleep with lectures." Shin slaps his brother on the back, causing him to fall back to his seat. "I'm Shin, I'll teach you better than he could ever dream of." He beams a smile so bright. She could feel herself getting sick.

Sanzo doesn't stand like his brothers. "Sanzo. I'll teach you." Quick and to the point, his head hidden by his hoodie.

"Is he always this quiet?" Fuuka asks, sitting down. She shifts her weight to sit up with her legs crossed. Five guys in front of her, in her own home; not even mentioning their bad relationship due to the events earlier today.

"Don't mind this downer, he'll get to you once he gets his will too live back." Futaji gloats, causing Sanzo to dig a finger into the back of his neck. "Fine! Fine! In any case, I'm Futaji, the best tutor." He extends a hand. She swats it away, glaring angrily at him.

"That's awfully bold. Don't forget which one of us is the leader." Hitonari stretches, unbuttoning his shirt slightly before yawning. "Hitonari onii-san will...teach you...so..." He rubs his eyes as he leans back in his chair and falls asleep.

"Why you!?" She stands up in shock, clenching her fists. He has the gall to sleep in her home uninvited. She was about to yell when Goro started talking.

"He brought this on himself. We'll wake him up later." Goro says, walking up to her. "For now, please answer this." He holds out a test paper to Fuuka. She walks off, looking in the pantry and the fridge.

"Hmm, looks like I have everything. Raito, you want cookies?" She yells to the bedrooms. A few seconds pass in silence before a young kid's voice responds.

"No! Be quiet, I'm studying!"

"This one's going to be difficult." Futaji mutters. Watching her get a bowl and start measuring the ingredients.

"For you, maybe. This is nothing compared to that one boss in Terminal Blade." Senzo takes out an earbud. "This won't be significant, challenge wise." He wanders around the apartment, keeping a close eye on everything.

* * *

"Alright, you've set your timer. Let's start studying." Hitonari says enthusiastically as Fuuka walks away from them.

"She's left us." Shin laughs. "I'll get her out!." The five of them talk amongst themselves about what to do next as Fuuka shuts the door to her room..

"I'll go get her." Goro interjects, putting his hand in front of Shin. "Uesugi-chan." He knocks on the door, seeing a light shining from inside and hearing noise from beyond it. She was watching tv.

"No means no! Why did it have to be you of all people!" She yells before there was a thud on the door. By the sound of it, it was probably a bag of some sort that was thrown at the door.

"This is why you never call a girl fat, Goro." Sanzo knocks on her door, a small smirk on his face. "Fuuka? It's Sanzo. I have something I'd like to ask." He presses his ear against the key hole to hear better.

"Take out your earbuds! I don't want to have to repeat myself!" She yells near the door, causing him to wince and grab his ear.

"I guess I'll give it a try." Hitonari yells from downstairs.

"Hitonari, I'm going to stop you right there." She pokes her head out. "I will never let the five of you teach me!" The sound of the slamming door rang through the apartment.

* * *

"So..." Futaji sits down with his brothers. "That girl doesn't even want to see our face. First one to actually teach her something wins?" He stretches his hand, arcing his back.

"Well, since we're here to study, might as well get started without her. You especially. You can't teach if you don't know anything after all." Shin suggests, pulling out a notebook and pencil.

"Be quiet Shin. If I recall correctly, you're behind on your assignments. Will you even be able to catch up if you take this job?" Goro notes, putting the papers he tried to give her back in his bag.

"You always underestimate me, but who's the one with the least accomplishments." Shin complains, flipping to the next page and writing something.

"Both of you give up. You two have already destroyed your chances with her. I'll have to carry your weight this time as well it seems." Sanzo pulls out an old handheld game console and plugs his earbuds into it.

"There has to be a way to get her to study." Futaji mutters to himself, scratching his head.

"Futaji, another one of your schemes? They never work out for you, do they?" Shin leans in closer. They hear a door swing open and a few footsteps

"You're still here? You're persistent, I'll give you five that." Fuuka walks down and heads towards the oven. She looks mad, still.

"Fuuka-chan. If you want, I can get them to leave. Think about it, just you and me." Hitonari says, winking and smiling.

* * *

"Give it up. One or one hundred you and your siblings will never teach me." She says, putting on an oven mitt and pulling a tray of cookies out of the kitchen. Futaji comes up behind her.

"Fine, then we'll play your game. If you won't come willingly, then I'll teach you by force if I have to." Futaji tries to take the tray of cookies away from her...tries. His scream pierces the air as he pulls his hand away, clutching it with his other.

"You idiot! Hold still!" She drops the tray and brings him to the sink. "Alright, here. Keep it under the tap." She moves his wrist to not touch his palms.

"Sorry about this, Fuuka-chan." Hitonari says, resting his head on the table and taking a nap. Nobody moves from their spot, more absorbed by their own ways of study.

"Futaji, you have a brain. Use it for once instead of running on impulse." Sanzo chastises him.

"They didn't even bat an eye when he yelled...what's wrong with these assholes?" Fuuka takes a look at Futaji's hand, it's starting to blister. "This isn't good. This is worse than any blister I've seen before." Fuuka says walking off to get some painkillers.

"Maybe mom can help you if you go home. You should call it a day Futaji." Sanzo says, looking at Futaji like a lion to it's prey.

"Not like you can teach her anything anyway. I wonder what she'll answer if he was left to teach her, would she pass?" Hitonari ponders.

"All five of you go! He's injured and all you think of is-" Fuuka was cut off.

"I'll stay, you three take him home." Goro suggests, the boys all look to each other.

"As if I'd let this be the reason to lose to you." Futaji says, pulling his hand away from the water.

"Do I not have a sa-" Fuuka tries to speak up, but she was ignored.

"You have no choice, even Uesugi-san doesn't want you here" Shin says as the five of them turn to find the girl furious

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

* * *

"It's a shame, I had to trash the cookies." Fuuka sweeps the floor. "Only five stayed on the tray." She picks up the tray and places the cookies on a plate. "Also, WHY THE HELL ARE YOU ALL STILL HERE!?"

"Would you mind if I took one?" Goro is eagerly eyeing it, a small amount of drool escaping the corner of his mouth.

"You..." She sighs. "I don't care. My mood is ruined already." She stops for a while and clutches her head. She's been mad ever since lunch yesterday, it isn't good for your health.

The sound of the brothers' chewing is the only thing that fills the place, and even then it's only a faint noise. "These..."

"Can it. I don't want to talk right now." Fuuka dumps the scraps into the trashcan. "Leave. I'm going to bed." She says, giving up on her anger and letting apathy take over.

"I'm not going anywhere until they're gone." Sanzo says, playing his game.

"Give it up. I'm teaching her tonight." Futaji says, holding some ice in his palm. The five boys bicker as Fuuka shuts the door to her room and falls asleep.

* * *

"Ugh...need to go..." She mutters to herself as she makes her way downstairs towards the bathroom. Ten, maybe twenty minutes pass before she came back out. "Ugh..." Was all she could say when she saw five sleeping boys strewn about the couches and chairs.

"Good for nothing, pretentious, and just plain mean!" She mutters to herself as she checks the time using one of their phones. "2:30? There's no...hmm?" There's a text on screen, and Futaji had left his phone on.

"Where are you?! All of you still aren't home! I'm so worried. Come home soon, please. I'd look for you myself if I could. Please." From mom; sent 11:49 yesterday.

Fuuka gets her number from Futaji's phone and sends a text. "Hi ma'am, this is their student: Uesugi Fuuka. They've all fallen asleep at my home. Please come pick them up asap. My address is..."

"She's probably asleep. I should go to bed too, huh?" She mutters to herself as she looks at the five boys.

* * *

"Ugh...where am I?" Futaji asks himself as he rubs his head. Sleeping while slumped over a table had killed his back, and he stretched to correct that. He looks at his hand, currently wrapped in a cool, wet, cloth.

Sunlight streamed in through the windows, the early morning air warm and comforting. The smell and sound of frying bacon hits his nose as the sight of the blonde in the kitchen catches his eye. There was food set on the counter of the kitchen, plates of eggs, meats, sliced fruit; bowls of rice, soup, oatmeal; a loaf of bread, some butter and jams.

"Raito! Can you help me set the table?" Fuuka calls out, followed shortly by a door being opened by a young boy.

"Uhh...hi?" Futaji groggily says, waving his hand at the kid. Ignoring him, Raito gets a few plates and sets them on the table before Futaji, taking a slice of bread before going back to his room.

"You all fell asleep..." Fuuka says, plating up the bacon and putting it on the table along with the eggs. "How rude. Your mom was so worried."

Futaji hurriedly opened his phone, or at least he tried. "It ran out of battery." He mumbles as Fuuka goes around waking everyone up.

"I got a text from her a bit ago. Someone will come to get you in an hour. Until then, don't disturb me, I lost sleep because of you idiots." Fuuka scolds them, taking a bowl of oatmeal and some fruit with her up to her room.

The five of them look amongst themselves, most with the same competitive look in their eyes as the night before. Their stomachs all growl as Goro proposes something. "Whoever eats the most wins." They all agree to compete, except for Futaji who was busy looking for an outlet to charge his phone.

* * *

Fuuka eats her food in solitude, panting because of the exhaustion. "Maybe I went a bit overboard. Knowing them, they're probably fighting over a piece of bacon by now." She sets the empty bowl on the desk, beside a framed picture.

It shows a family. A tall black haired man is seen holding up a dark haired girl, around five or six years old, on his back. A woman is cradling a baby that could be no older than one or two years old. "Will we ever be like that again?" She picks it up, trying to wipe away the smudges on the glass. "I miss you dad, mom...Raito..."

* * *

"Who's going to pick us up?" Hitonari asks, finishing his plate.

"I'll let you worry about that. More importantly, who's going to clean this up?" Shin points to the plates and bowls left on the stained table.

"I'm sure Fuuka wi-"

"I'll do it." Futaji volunteers. "I'd hate to be indebted to that spoiled brat."

Gathering the plates and moving them all to the sink, Futaji starts the tap as Fuuka comes down from her room. "Good, you're not a complete asshole like your brothers." She says loudly, setting her bowl in the sink. "Thanks."

"Don't take it the wrong way, I hate owing favors." Futaji retorts, scrubbing the next plate spotless.

"By the way, they're picking you up earlier than they said. Go down to the lobby, someone from your home will be waiting there to take you home." Fuuka says. "Get out of my house as soon as you can." Yawning, the girl goes into her room as the boys all pack their things.

* * *

"You're back? Still haven't given up, haven't you?" It was later that same day, around the afternoon. Fuuka had just woken up from a long delayed night's rest, and was not in the mood to deal with their shenanigans so soon.

"Of course we haven't. We haven't even started." Shin says with his usual energy.

"Thank you for the meal earlier. It was delicious, Uesugi." Futaji says as the five of them walk in. He bows slightly.

"You better cooperate this time. I'd hate to miss out on another raid because I was stuck here." Sanzo says starts ranting. He rambles on and on before he sits down.

"But it was your fault though..." Fuuka thinks as the six of them sit down around a table. "I'll give you one last chance to give up. You five are biting off more than you can chew." She says, pleadingly. "I'm not another test that you can pass, you can't do this."

"We'll see about that. We worked together to make this mock exam for you. Answer it." Hitonari hands over the paper they tried to give her yesterday.

"You five, working together? That sounds like a stretch from what I've seen." Fuuka comments snidely.

"You'd be surprised." Goro rebuts, his head still buried in the book.

"Okay, fine. But if you laugh at me, then I'm firing you before you have a chance to quit." She says, but there was hollowness in her tone.

* * *

"I...I can't believe this..." Hitonari says, clutching the paper.

"No way." Futaji stares wide eyed. He's in so much shock that the pain in his hand subsides slightly

"Impossible..." Sanzo pulls out his buds, recounting the score.

"Is this real..." Shin switches his view from the paper to her and back.

"100...mistakes. She didn't get one thing right." Goro stares at Fuuka, who sighs and gets up.

"Do you see now? It's hopeless. Go home." She says, trying to hide her face.

"Hell no!" Shin exclaims. He runs up to her as she starts climbing the stairs.

"This might be the hardest challenge we've had." Hitonari smirks, adjusting the papers and making a few marks on it.

"A bounty that'll give whoever claims it the best future." Sanzo smiles, looking up at her with a predatory look.

"I thought she'd at least get the multiple choice ones right." Goro sighs. He adjusts his glasses and starts to think of how he's going to tackle this obstacle.

"Well, there's no point in sitting around. After all..." Futaji walks up to Fuuka. His voice calmer, but still pushy.

"I'm your tutor, there's no way I'm letting them win!" They all say in unison, causing Fuuka to swallow a knot in her throat.

* * *

The five of them leave shortly after. "We all have to rethink our entire lesson plan. We'll be back tomorrow." Shin says with a smile. Fuuka is left in the room alone, Raito not even coming out for dinner.

"This is going to be hell." She sighs. "What's their deal?"

* * *

**A/N**: Here's a short description of the families and characters (mostly so I can have a consistent base for their personalities in future chapters.)

* * *

Uesugis: Uesugi Fuuka and Uesugi Raito were born to Isamari, though they only adopted the Uesugi name when she remarried a movie producer and became an actress five years prior to present day. The man in Fuuka's photo was their biological father, who passed away two years before their mom remarried. Because of her job, she and their step-dad are rarely home.

Fuuka: She is beautiful, popular, and the top of her year (though that last point is undeserved). She puts up a prideful front to push people away. She does the housework at home and cares deeply for her brother Raito.

Raito: He spends most of his time studying in his room. He only comes out when he eats, often bickering with his older sister if they cross paths.

* * *

Nakanos: The Nakano family live in the slums of the city. Makan, their biological mother, is a caring and cheery woman. Ebana, a close family friend, works to help keep the family together. Their father, Ren, was a teacher in life. He died due to a disease and their attempts to cure it caused the family to fall to poverty. The quintuplets, determined to help, study as much as possible in order to get high paying jobs.

Hitonari: The "eldest" brother. The self-appointed leader. He specializes in math, but rarely has notes, learning everything by ear. He constantly jokes and teases everyone.

Futaji: The second brother. He's prideful and impulsive, but he just wants the best for people around him. He's the best at English, he watches his teachers closely and learns from it more than anything.

Sanzo: The middle brother. He's quiet and reserved, only ever getting excited when he quarrels with his brothers. He's easily the most perceptive and curious of the quints. He specializes in social studies, learning much of it from old games and supplementing that information with research.

Shin: The fourth brother. He's energetic and rambunctious. The most fit of his siblings. He is great at Japanese, keeping a small notebook, where he writes poems and short stories, in his bag.

Goro: The last brother. He's serious, but he can easily be broken. He's caring, but that won't stop him from following his morals and duties. He studies science, usually having at least one book in his bag for reading.


	3. Chapter 3

"Thank you Ebana-san." Fuuka steps out of the car at school. The car drives off as the sun beams down on her. She ties her hair into a ponytail as he notices a mass of red walking up the stairs. "Ugh, it's too early to deal with them." She thinks as she waits for them to pass, hoping they wouldn't notice her.

"How long are you going to stand there? Fuuka, you're going to be late." Sanzo says, glancing at her. She grits her teeth as she reluctantly walks behind them. He waits up to walk beside her, whispering into her ear. "Find me. Let's talk in private."

She turns her head, curious, but all she sees is his hood covering his head. "W-What's his deal?" She stutters to herself as she catches up to the brothers. "Don't go sleeping in class Goro, like you did at my place." She huffs at him, taking her seat and moving her chair as far from him as physically possible.

* * *

"What the hell is he saying? What's a vertex?" She thinks as the teacher finishes his lecture. "It's not like we're going to need this stuff when we grow up anyway! What's the point?"

"Do you guys plan to quit? She's too much for you." Hitonari taunts the others. "Oh, hello there. Would you like to study with me today? If so, then let's go somewhere away from these idiots" Fuuka just glances at the table.

"What's that look?" Futaji scowls at her. "We don't need your pity, Uesugi."

He gets a smack on the head from Fuuka, who takes her leave, followed by Sanzo. "Shall we go then, Fuuka?" He walks to her side. "Let's get some privacy." His brothers all shift their attention to them, all with envious and malicious stares.

"Don't tell me. He's gotten ahead of me!" Shin asks, a dumb smile on his face. "I'll remember this Sanzo!" He fakes crying while writing something in his notes.

"To think, my own brother being reduced to underhanded tactics. How deplorable." Goro grits his teeth, actually looking up out of his book for once.

"I won't let you get away with this." Futaji wraps his arm around Sanzo, who jabs a finger into his gut.

"I've drawn first blood. Give up before this gets worse for you." Sanzo says, pulling his hood down to reveal his long, uncut hair that reaches all the way down to his shoulders.

"Well, it's not a win unless you actually manage to teach her. By the way, she left." Hitonari starts eating.

* * *

"Leave my table. People are going to get the wrong idea." Fuuka says, taking a sip of her drink. "And being in a relationship with you is a rumor I'd rather not have going around." She stares him down.

"Fine, I concede. Meet me at the rooftop at lunch. We have much to discuss." He gets up and reluctantly goes back to his brothers' table. They look at him with smiles on their faces.

"Knew it! Another fail from Sanzo!" Futaji gloats. Sanzo doesn't even bother anymore, he just stares him down.

"That's what you get for rushing in! Just watch me while I take this one." Shin leans closer towards his brother.

"Be my guest, it's not like I'm giving up." Sanzo puts his earbuds back in and starts eating. "I won't lose." He mutters to himself.

* * *

Fuuka waits on the rooftop for a while leaning against the railing and looking down at the ground below. She hears the door creak open as a hoodie wearing boy comes through it.

"I was scared you weren't going to show up." Fuuka turns around, her hair blowing in the wind. "So, what did you want to talk about?" She unties her hair, letting the wind blow it aside.

Sanzo sighs, thinking of something to say. "Fuuka. Are you lonely?" He asks bluntly. He watches for a reaction, finding her cheeks going red. "Did I say something wrong?" He thinks

"First you try to force me to be your student, now you try hitting on me?!" She says, causing him to take a step back.

"No, I just noticed that your house is unusually quiet." He says methodically, like a pre written script in a video game. "Use this for leverage, then the building will crumble along with the foundation." He thinks silently, but the words won't come out.

"None of your business!" She asks, offended. "I've had enough of you and your damn family!" She storms off, her hair brushing against his arm.

"Is yours okay? Your family I mean." Sanzo mutters. She stops where she stands, clenching her fists.

"Stay out of my life, Nakano." She says coldly, almost with murderous intent.

"But, I just want to know." His curiosity is taking over, he's not thinking.

"You have no right to know!" She turns around, her anger filled gaze freezes Sanzo's soul. "Leave me alone! You don't know what it's like to be in my family!"

"Her family...I already knew that it was just her and her brother, and with this reaction it shows that her parents aren't exactly on good terms with her." Sanzo thinks. "Capitalize on this opportunity, this is your one chance. She's left herself exposed." His brain, like clockwork, starts to form words.

He glances at her, her expression growing more and more furious with each second. It's like a quick time event, his timing has to be perfect and he can't afford to make any mistakes. With a deep sigh, he steels his nerves.

"Fuuka. I don't know how much pain you're in right now, but I want to help. Please, I'll be there for you. You can trust me." He says, calmly. His tone is sincere, but forced; a pre-recorded line copied from the archives of a dating sim. "Fuuka?" He sees her hands unclench and tears fall down her face.

"I...I'll tell you another time...I need to think about it." She turns with a relieved smile. "But, thank you for trying, Sanzo. This isn't something I can tell just anyone, not even my brother. Don't tell anyone okay." Fuuka brushes her hair aside as she reaches for the door. "Stay behind after the next tutoring session. I'll tell you then." Sanzo sighs in relief at those words

"Whew, that's one obstacle down. This game is getting hard, but I'm making progress." He mutters under his breath.

"Game? Is that all I am to you, a game? And here I was, starting to think you were different. In the end, I'm just another test for you guys." Fuuka slams the door behind her as she heads down to eat lunch.

"Fuck..."

* * *

"Asshole!" Fuuka runs down and through the halls, wiping the tears from her face. "They're all assholes!" She bumps into something, but runs off before she could see what it was.

"Uesugi?"

* * *

"You're late! I'm hungr-" Raito says as Fuuka swings the door open. "Onee-san? What's wrong?" Fuuka runs past him, running into her room.

"He...they...they'll use anything to get their way." She mutters to herself. "They're monsters! Demons!" She clutches a pillow and wipes her tears on it. "I'll never trust them again!"

* * *

**A/N**: Even after revisions, I can't make this anything more than a set-up chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

A few days have passed since her encounter with Sanzo on the rooftop. Life had gone back to normal to an extent, and she was happy to have the brothers out of her hair for a week. She had returned to being surrounded by hopeful students trying to get on her good side. "Fuuka-san, where have you been? We went shopping last week but you didn't show up."

"Ah, something came up at home. Sorry, I'll come along this week." She bows to her friend jokingly, a wide smile on her face. That smile soon fades as a voice calls out to her.

"Like hell you are! Uesugi, did you already forget what we're going to do this weekend?" Futaji stands in her path, his arms crossed.

"Be quiet! You're going to give them the wrong idea!" Fuuka clenches her fist. "Actually, let's put an end to this." She walks up to him, putting a finger to his forehead. "Nakano, you're all fired!"

"Ugh, spoiled brat! Fine!" He throws something from his hand to the ground and stomps away. Fuuka looks at it, picking it up.

"Oh. He gave it back." She pockets the cloth, returning to the group.

"Did you just break up with your boyfriend?" They tease her.

"Shut up!" She pouts as the bell rings.

* * *

"Ah! Uesugi! Can you come over here for a second?" Shin calls out to her after school, his usual hat covering his eyes.

"What do you want?" She yells back, not taking a step closer.

"Can we talk for a bit? I'm bored!"

"I'm not something you and your brothers can use for your enjoyment! I don't care if you're bored, deal with it yourself." She starts walking away.

"Oh come on! Please! Promise, I won't try to teach you anything anymore if we have a little chat." He jokes, running up to her.

"Wait...if I do that, then he'll be gone for real!" She thinks as she turns to him with a wicked smile. "Alright then, what do you want to talk about?"

* * *

"Futaji said that you fired us. I just wanted to make sure, because it might've been one of his tricks again." The two take a seat on a bench.

"It's not a trick. You're all fired." Fuuka says calmly.

"WHAT!? WHY?" He exclaims in surprise

"Because you're all assholes. End of story."

"Even me?"

"You're the least assholey asshole. This will be the last time I'll let you talk to me." She turns her face away, finding the other Nakano brothers walking out of the campus

"Who's the most then?"

"Sanzo."

"Sanzo? Not Goro or Futaji?"

"He...tried to trick me. He used my family to-" Fuuka stops herself. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Maybe he just wanted to get to know you better, ya know."

"He called me a game. You all think that way, right? I'm just another test to you guys." She mopes.

"Are you...hurt by it?"

"Maybe, I don't know anymore. At least it's off my chest and I don't have to deal with it anymore. You guys aren't going to see me anymore, and that's just what I want."

"Do you think you'll be able to forgive us?"

"No. You haven't even treated me like a person, why should I treat you like one?" Fuuka clenches her fist. "Don't tell anyone about this."

"I...Can I at least have another try? We all got off on the wrong foot, so maybe this time..."

"I don't trust you. Even now, you're trying to trick me. Isn't that right, Futaji?" A smirk grows on her face, flicking the hat to the side.

"How did you know?"

"...You can't pull off Shin's highly energetic tone of voice."

"Oh. Well, there's no point to this then." Futaji takes off the hat. "I really am sorry, though. Not just for me but for all of us?"

"Why are you bailing them out? They didn't even come to help you when your hand got burned."

"Well, it's because we're brothers."

* * *

"How cute, what's next? You're gonna tell me that the sky is blue?" Fuuka replies sarcastically. "In case you forgot, they left you out to dry when you burned your hand."

"Yeah, they do that...kinda scary." A sigh escapes his lips. His eyes wander around. "We're not exactly the best with people, even with each other."

"Scary? It's downright mean. How can you still try to help them?"

"Because they're m-"

"Right. Shouldn't have asked." She rubs her head, annoyed.

"You know, we're not going to stay together forever." Futaji leans back. "I'm more scared of that than what they can do to me, in all honesty."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"You said it yourself. If things go the way they are, we won't see each other again. I need to get it off my chest." Futaji sighs, walking over to a vending machine and getting a drink. "We used to be so close too. It's sad." The sound of the can opening and the bubbly matcha soda going down his throat fills the air.

"What happened?" She asks, dropping some of her aggressive tone.

"I don't want to talk about it. But...I just want us to stay together, just a bit longer." He stands. "Thanks for the chat, Uesugi. I won't tell them, you tell them when we come over to your place."

* * *

"I just want us to stay together, just a bit longer." Fuuka finds herself repeating his words as she makes her way home. There was something in those words that felt familiar to her, and that's what led them to burrow into her mind. Once, twice, thrice. Over and over and over she mutters it to herself until she touches the door to her bedroom. Like a phantom, she glides around the room, searching for something yet not knowing what. Under the bed, in her drawers, at the back of her closet, searching and searching until she looks at the wasteland her room had become.

"Onee-chan! Are you home!?" Raito asks from the other side of the door. He knocks on the door. "How're you feeling?"

Fuuka opens the door. "I'm fine..." She looks at her brother's face as something clicks in the back of her head.

"I'll make dinner tonight. I'll call you when it's ready. I'll see if I can follow one of dad's recipes."

"Alright. I'll be in my room, call me when it's done. Dad's recipe...dad..." Fuuka closes the door and goes straight to the framed picture by her bed. She fiddles with it, removing it from the frame to reveal a small note written on a hidden slip of paper.

* * *

"_Fuuka, if you're reading this, then this means that you won't be able to see me again._" It starts.

"_Time's are going to be rough, and at some points you might even want to give up. It's going to hurt, but you have to stay strong. Keep the family together, they need you as much as you need them. The future is unclear now, the three of you may go through many hardships or none at all. Troubled or leisured, whatever happens will be tolerable should you stay together._"

"_Fuuka, please. The pain of separation is something I do not wish for you or your brother to know at this age. My sweet little Fuuka, please take care of them, especially your brother. Your bond should persist over all adversity, so treasure that bond and nurture it. Goodbye, my child._"

* * *

"Hey! Futaji!" She calls to him after school, finding him by Shin in the library.

"Uesugi-san! Do you want to join us?" Shin waves at her as she joins them at the table.

"What do you want Uesugi? What happened to what you said yesterday?" Futaji asks, curious and weary of his former student.

"I've thought about some things, and I'm still mad at all of you, but..." She rests her elbow on the table. "If you treat me well, I'll treat you well. Deal?" She extends her hand, which Futaji shakes with a determined look on his face.

Shin turns to Futaji, a questioning look on his face. "What did you do?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Futaji smiles as the three of them finish today's work.

* * *

**A/N:** Tried my best. I feel better with this version, but not by much. On another note, as of 7/26, people seem to want the second chapter of "Delinquency". I am sorry for the delay, I just can't feel anything for that story at the moment and anything I write for it will be rushed and forced.


	5. Chapter 5

"You're here?" Fuuka asks, opening the door.

"So, I'm still fired? I'm getting so many mixed signals."

"That's not what I meant, come in." She turns to take a seat at the table, noticing the lack of chaos in the footsteps behind her. "You're alone? Where are the others?"

"Oh, they said they have better things to do." Futaji says, looking at a text from Sanzo. "And I quote: This is a challenge I don't mind putting off. I can find other ways to earn money."

"Assholes." Fuuka grits her teeth. "Well, what now?"

"What? I'm going to teach you, that's what I'm paid for after all."

* * *

"Hey, Futaji. Why are you here?" She asks, taking a sheet of paper that Futaji hands her.

"To teach you. I know you're stupid, but for you to-" He takes a seat at the table, laying out papers full of reference material.

"Watch it." She glares at him. "I meant, don't you have anything better to do, like your brothers?" She asks, her tone slightly dejected.

"No."

"If you did?"

"..." He looks at her. "Get back to your essay."

"Answer me." She presses him again. Leaning closer only leads to her getting a flick to the forehead.

"You should be the one answering!" Futaji stands up, taking a few steps around the room.

* * *

"Why'd you change your mind?" The boy asks, stepping near the glass pane door that leads to the balcony. The room was chilly as he opens the door to let the fall breeze in. The sky was a light blue as the trees below were only barely starting to change color. He walks out, staring at the clouds that slowly pass by, basking in the gentle sunlight. Spotting something in his near periphery, a rare sight for this time and place, he moves to hold a purple emperor in his hands. The butterfly doesn't stay long however, flying away when he next takes a step.

"What?"

"Why'd you keep me around, why not fire me?" He asks, turning to face the table where she sits. She looks at him as she shades in her next multiple choice answer.

"None of your business, just be glad you kept your job."

"I see..." He looks at the clock. "They're not coming huh..."

"I guess I am just another test." Fuuka mumbles under her breath. "How pitiful of me."

* * *

"You said you guys weren't always like this. What were you all like before?"

"Hmm? Well, we all had the same hair, and face." The tutor jokes, moving around due to the unrest filling his legs. He moves over to check on her progress, meeting with the tip of her pencil just inches away from his neck.

"Nakano, don't mess with me." She says ominously.

"Killjoy. We were all the same. Not just physically, but also emotionally and mentally. It was fun and peaceful."

"Impossible! The only thing similar about your personalities is your obnoxious lust for victory." She breaks her threatening air with one of surprise. Turning to face him, she stops answering to listen intently.

"Those are some big words, I'm impressed." Futaji says condescendingly. "But it's true. Now, well. It's the most distant I've felt from them in a while. It's like I barely know them."

"Well, you're all assholes, if that helps you guys bond."

"Can you call us anything other than assholes?" He groans, a small tick of irritation in his voice.

"Cunts? Dicks? Bitches? Fu-"

"I'm going to stop you there."

* * *

"How is it?" Fuuka asks as Futaji checks her paper.

"You scored..."

"Out with it." Tapping her feet impatiently, she snatches the paper filled with markings and corrections.

"10 points, out of 100. And only the ones related to English" He sighs. "At this rate, you'll flunk out before midterms."

"What can we do about it?" Fuuka leans back in her chair. "Do you think the others can help?"

"No way. I can handle it, let's go over your answers already. Move over here." He says pridefully. "I can do this myself."

* * *

The two look over the tests, Futaji occasionally glancing at the answer sheet for it. "Ugh."

"Can't handle it?" She teases him while sipping on a cup of juice.

"No way! I just...need some time to..." He scans the page.

"You've been on that page for 20 minutes. Just admit that you need help." Fuuka sighs, pouring herself another cup and adding a minute amount of chili powder to it.

"No. I can do this...I can..."

"Yo Shin, Futaji's here. Yeah...yeah...alright." Fuuka says, her phone next to her ear. "He's coming."

"What?! I told you I can handle it. How did you even get his number?"

"Actions speak louder than words, and you haven't acted at all." She downs it in one gulp. "And I got it when I got your mom's."

* * *

"You've really got to learn to ask for help once in a while." Fuuka says, taking a seat across from him.

"That's rich, coming from you. Or did you forget what you said when we were here the first time?" Futaji teases. "I will never let the five of you teach me"

"Don't try to spin this on me." She rests her head on the table. "Why do you guys study so hard?"

"Money." he says bluntly, causing her to look down.

"..." She takes a deep breath. "And I was starting to think that you were different. I'm still just ano-"

"Ah...well, it's a long story." He tries to cheer her up

"We have time, from the top." She says, feeling blue.

* * *

"Alright, I'll just say it now. We're broke. Dad used to keep us afloat, but things happened and we fell into debt."

"Well, I can't blame him, feeding 7 seems hard." Her tone still empty and lifeless.

"Mom's been working hard since, but now she's not doing well. So that's why..."

"You got this job, looking to help." She looks up, brightening up a little. She walks back into the kitchen, taking out some food for the two of them; crackers and a jar of peanut butter.

"Bingo. What about you? Why'd you keep your grades up? You even cheat to do it."

"...I" Fuuka thinks. "I...made a promise years ago, saying I'd get a really high paying job. But, I couldn't do it..."

"What would you do if you did get that job because of cheating. You wouldn't know what to do and you'd get fired right away." He asks, munching on a coated cracker.

Fuuka stares at him, a look of "Oh shit, he's right." slowly making it's way on her face. "I...shut up! I'll get to it when I get to it!"

"So you're still going to cheat?"

"Ah!" She turns away. "I...I don't think I can pass..."

"You can't, yet."

* * *

A bit more time passes before another conversation comes about. In the downtime, the two of them pace around the room, looking for something to do.

"So...I've told you a bit about my family. How about yours?"

"Don't push your luck." Fuuka pulls the plate of crackers away from him, a pout on her face.

"Alright..."

A short silence follows.

"Why are you being nice to me?" Fuuka asks. "I hearing a rumor that you called me a spoiled brat. So why the sudden shift."

"Ah well, I've been on the receiving end of my brothers' attitude for all my life. I can sympathize with what you're feeling to an extent." Futaji looks back at the reference material for the test. "I'm trying to not treat you like a test."

"At least you're trying..." She mutters. "Why do your brothers act like such..."

"Well, we've uhh...it's a long story. It started a few months before dad..."

* * *

"We were out somewhere and someone confused one of us for another, a pretty common occurrence for us. But this time, it stuck. After that we started to try to distance ourselves from each other, first one, then two, then four. I'm the only one that still...no, I've started to do it too." He says somberly as the sun sets. "We wanted to be different, to never be mistaken anymore. I'm sorry it's broad, my memory isn't the greatest."

"No problem. In all honesty, I like this version of you more. It's calming to not hear the bickering every five seconds."

"Hahaha, true. If you catch us alone, you'll probably meet nicer people. When we're together, we're kind of a pain."

"Even alone though, Goro irritated me, Hitonari teased me, Shin...well he's not all that bad for the goofball, and Sanzo..." Fuuka clenches her fists. "If that's true, then I really am just another obstacle to him."

"Don't let it get to you, we're still new here and you barely know us. Maybe you'll even get them to not treat you like a test, eventually."

"How optimistic, it makes me want to hurl." Fuuka says gloomily as Futaji's phone beeps with an alarm.

"Ah, I was going to look for another job today. I forgot."

"Is 5000 yen not enough? Well, if you're on your way out then..."

"I never said that. I...well..."

The silence is long, tension rising with every second.

* * *

"What's taking Shin so long? He said he'd be here an hour ago." Futaji says, trying to change the topic. "Thanks by the way..."

"For what?" She was about to take a spoonful of peanut butter for herself.

"You didn't think I was him." Futaji says, referring to their encounter before.

"Oh...that's nothing."

"You're the first person, other than family..."

"..." Fuuka stares at the door. "Futaji. Is it really so bad? I mean, you still have your brothers and your mom..."

"What do you mean? Where's your brother?"

"He's...well..." Fuuka looks up at Raito's room. "He's probably studying in his room..."

"Then I don't see what you-"

"Heeeyyyyy! Sorry I'm late! I saw an old lady get lost and decided to help her get to where she wanted to go." Shin bursts through the door.

"Did you escort her the whole way!?" Futaji looks at his brother, covered in sweat and dirt. A nod served as Shin's answer.

"Why did you want me over anyway." He asks, panting before going to get a glass of warm water.

"I uhh...I never..." Futaji glances at Fuuka, who was staring daggers into his soul. "I need help, I can't understand this portion in the test the school gave her."

* * *

They finish up for the day, Shin helping Futaji teach their student. "Alright, I'll take this win then. You asked for my help." Shin gloats jokingly, to Futaji's annoyance.

"Take care you two." Fuuka waves them off as they leave her home.

"Hey Futaji."

"Hey..."

"Do you like her?"

"..."

"It's the second time you two seemed to do something by yourselves."

"I'm not sure yet...I'm not good with the whole emotions thing."

"Yeah yeah...I'll join next time. The cleaning job isn't too taxing, so I can probably still join in here." The younger brother smiles as the two make their way home.

"Do I...like her?" Futaji thinks on the walk.

* * *

**A/N:** After many failed and scrapped attempts, I've finally made one that I'm somewhat proud of. Felt I could do better and that I could've gone into more detail at some points, but I'm content with this.


	6. Chapter 6

"Hello?" Goro's voice said, accompanied by knocking. "Is anyone there?" He asks as he and his brothers stand in the hallway. The door slowly opens to the eerily quiet apartment, the light of the mid afternoon filling the place. "What took so long, Uesugi-ch...hello?"

"What is it? You're her tutors, right? I think I know, take a seat." Raito says, going into his room.

"Who was that?" Sanzo asks.

"Uesugi's brother." Futaji says, noticing a pile of papers on a nearby table. He goes to investigate, finding it to be a quiz of sorts.

"It's rude to snoop in people's houses, Nakano-san." Raito says, looking down at the redheads from the second floor.

"Raito-kun, right? What are these?" Shin asks, meeting him at the bottom of the stairs.

"A few of my classmates asked me to make reviewers for them. It's a pain, but they're my only friends in school."

"So they're keeping you for grades, with the promise of friendship." Goro says. "How awful, this is why I hate people."

"Or you just don't have any social skills." Shin mocks his brother, causing Goro to slam his book shut. "Still, I'd get rid of them. Friends are overrated, all that matters is your goal."

"Shin, he's a kid." Futaji covers his mouth before he can talk any further. "Let him have fun."

"You've gone soft Futaji." Sanzo remarks, furiously mashing buttons on his game. "You're letting your feelings overtake your voice of reason."

"Still..." Futaji glances at the papers and reviewers again. "All 100's, in every subject. That's nothing to take lightly." His mind wanders.

* * *

"I'm impressed. When we were his age we could barely get 100 in one." Shin comments as he pulls free of Futaji's hands. "If she has a brother this smart, does she really need me to tutor her?"

"Oh, so you don't want the money. Okay then." Raito slowly turns up the stairs.

"I never said that! Anyway, want me to help make those reviewers?" Shin pulls out a pencil.

"I'm not paying you for this." Raito groans, handing all of them their pay for the month and taking a seat by his work.

"Doesn't matter. Let's have a race to see who can do the most."

"If you say so. I have 30 requests left, it should be divisible by all of us. First to finish their quota is the victor." Raito says, igniting a spark within all of the brothers.

* * *

"Yeah, I'll see you there. Okay...Okay, sheesh, you'll see me later girl, chill!" Fuuka says with her phone to her ear as she opens the door. "Of course I'm going! I'm not missing this festival." She locks it behind her as the brothers, including hers, all look up from the desk.

"What festival? You'll be here catching up on your studies. With your abysmal scores, you'll need to start reviewing now if you even want a chance to pass midterms." Shin says coldly, setting down the last paper for his quota. "By the way, I win."

"You'll be with me today. You skipped out on our Science review in the library last lunch." Goro says, finishing his bunch after Raito.

"Guys, go easy on her." Futaji tries to speak with his brothers.

"You really have gone soft. How amusing." Sanzo comments. "You can't run this time, no festival until you finish your work."

"You'll be fine sis, knock when you're done." Raito yawns, heading for his room. He could only catch a glimpse of Fuuka being dragged to her personal hell as he closes his bedroom door.

* * *

Fuuka is glued to her chair for hours, her progress slower than usual due to her distractedness. "I can't go on..." She cries out.

"No leaving this table until you perfect this test, I made it especially easy for someone like you." Sanzo says, handing Fuuka two papers, one unanswered and the other with a score of 93. "With your current score, you'd be right before first year, intelligence wise."

"No slacking off on me. You only got 69 on mine. Go again!" Goro scolds her.

Another hour passes, her score somehow getting worse with every attempt.

"What was she so excited about anyway? There's a festival today?" Shin asks as...

* * *

_**FFFFFFWWWWWWWWWWSHHHHHHH BOOM!**_

"Ah, the fall fireworks. I'd assume that's it, right Uesugi?" Futaji glances at his student. "Uesugi?"

The brothers all glance at her, hunched over with her hair obscuring her face.

"Is she dead?" Sanzo asks as Shin points at the worksheet she was answering, stained in spots as the ink spreads around.

"Fuuka? Did you leave without me? Uncool!" Raito comes out after hearing the explosion. "Onee-san?"

"Uesugi-san? Are you okay?" Shin pulls on her shoulders, leaning her back in her seat to get her hair out of her face. Fuuka's eyes melancholic and misty, soaked in tears. Her mouth trembling as she glances out to find another rocket explode and illuminate her face, causing her to cry a bit more.

"I'm...uhh...sorry?" Goro says on autopilot, uncomfortable with the situation.

Sanzo stays silent, looking away and packing his things. He only talks once he reaches the door. "I'm going home..." He says, his usually cold and calculating voice now holding some...pity? remorse? Nobody knows.

"No you're not! We can still make it to the festival if we run!" Shin yells, pulling himself away from looking at Fuuka to scold her brother. "We have to make this right! It's our fault she missed it!"

"There you go again, always trying to go the extra mile." Futaji chuckles, glancing at Raito. "You coming?"

* * *

"You okay Shin?" Futaji asks, noticing his brother slowing down. "If you're getting tired, let me carry her."

"No...I can take it. She's being unusually quiet." Shin answers.

"True, she usually gets mad or runs away, from my knowledge at least." Sanzo remarks, glancing at Fuuka's subdued and reposeful demeanor. "She's like a corpse."

"Sanzo, don't you feel guilty? This is partly your fault too, you know." Goro turns as all of their attention is directed at Sanzo.

He grunts, buying time to think of a response. "Why should I? She's just another idiot we have to teach, another challenge we have to-"

Fuuka fidgets and wriggles out of Shin's grasp, running into the festival as the final firework rocket fires off and explodes in the sky.

"Sanzo! Look what you did!" Futaji grabs him by the his shirt, pinning him by a tree. "You made her cry again!" He lets go with an arm and pulls it back with a clenched fist.

"Futaji, not now! We have to find her! Everyone split up!" Shin says as they run off, leaving Sanzo with Raito. The child says nothing, he needn't to. His eyes stare into Sanzo's own emotionless ones as he walks to leave the Nakano alone.

* * *

Fuuka runs through the festival as the various stalls and their owners start packing up. Blindly dashing through the people and errant boxes, she goes further and further away from her tutors. "I...I think that's far enough." She says, panting and resting on a nearby lamp post. She looks around, the streets covered with the litter from the festival and the people working hard to pack up before it gets even later in the night.

Wiping her eyes and wandering a little slower, she takes in the atmosphere. It's quiet, the aftermath of a great celebration always is, and the night's cool air turned harsh as she was still dressed as she was for the day: A red blouse and a black skirt. Moving to a place to sit, she finds purchase on a bench by a building with it's lights still on a ways away from the festivities. "How far did I go?" She thinks silently as she looks down at her hands, beginning to get wet as she has a memory enter her mind.

"Dad...I'm sorry." Fuuka buries her face in her hands, silently sobbing as the clouds block out the moonlight. She hears nothing but can feel the vibrations as someone takes a seat on the bench with her.

"Another failed audition...oh well." A familiar voice comes from that person. One that she had reluctantly memorized.

"Hitonari?" Pulling her hands away, she turns her head to find the choker wearing redhead sitting beside her, holding some papers in his hands.

"Fuuka-chan?" He asks in response, noticing the droplets running down the side of her cheek. "What happened?"

"..." Fuuka turns away. "Nothing. You guys wouldn't care anyway." She stands up, putting on a mask of apathy to try and form a dam for her tears.

"Fuuka-chan, do you trust me?" He asks, causing her to shake her head. "I see. Can I trust you with something?"

"..."

"Don't tell me brothers. But I'm...well, you heard me earlier didn't you?" His words cause her to face him. "This would be my fourth audition that I botched. I want to be an actor."

"Why keep trying?" Fuuka asks, clenching her fists. "If you can't do it the first time, if you mess up...why do you go back again?" She's trembling. "Why do I keep trying?" She thinks to herself, slamming her fists down against the armrest of the bench.

"Because there's a next audition. And maybe, just maybe, that next will be the right one." Hitonari says, looking at the paper again. "I have an idea that might cheer you up, read this."

"Your script?"

"Let's go! It'll be fun."

"Hitonari...I'm not in the mood for games...your brothers just...ruined the night for me." She says, her mask cracking easily tonight.

* * *

"Onee-san!" Raito calls out, walking about the remains of the festival. "Onee-san! Let's go home!"

"Did you find her?" Shin asks, panting as he runs up to the child. Raito shakes his head, noticing him holding something behind his back.

"Any luck?" Futaji regroups with them shortly after, greeted by distraught faces. "Where could she be?"

"Where'd your brother go? The one in the hoodie." Raito asks.

"He texted us a bit ago, said he was going home to catch a tv show." Futaji sighs. "Honestly, that guy..."

"I just got a call from Nari, she's with him." Goro comes to join them, his phone to his ear. "What? Okay. Alright, let's go."

"Go? Go where?" Shin asks, throwing away an empty envelope into a nearby trashcan.

"He can't carry her, she fell asleep on a bench."

"All this over a festival. What's so important about it anyway?" Shin asks.

"We used to go all the time with dad..." Raito says, stopping all the Nakanos in their tracks.

"Used to?"

"Yeah...after he...left, Fuuka kept insisting that we go together with mom. But then mom remarried and she's not around much..." Raito looks at the box of spare fireworks that are heading for storage, carried by workers.

"Sorry."

"Don't be. It doesn't bother me." He lies. "Apologize to Fuuka."

"Hey, don't say that." Goro interjects, kneeling down to be level with Raito. "She's just trying to keep your dad's memory around. I'm sure you know it too, you're a smart kid."

"So what? All that matters is my goal, right?" His words send a shiver up their spines.

"...let's go." Futaji says, unable to look at the child. "And, Raito-kun...don't be like us."

* * *

"Hitonari? What're you doing here?"

"I should ask you the same thing." He turns, laying Fuuka down. "You've been watching us since we got to the second scene, Sanzo."

"What of it?" Sanzo scoffs, putting his earbuds in.

"I'm not dense, I can see that look of guilt in your eye. What did you do to her?"

"I...I just spoke the truth."

"The truth being?"

"That Fuuka's just another obs-" His words are cut short by a fist to his jaw. "What the hell?"

"Do you really believe that?" Hitonari's words weren't angry, or curious; they were fueled by disgust.

"What?" Sanzo wipes his face. "Of course I do."

"Then why did you follow her all this way? To say it again and rub it in?" Hitonari lowers his head, leaving only his scowl visible. "If so, then you should go home."

* * *

"Hitonari! Is she okay!?" Futaji says as they turn the corner. "Sanzo." His tone turns cold at the sight of the third.

"Let's just get her home, it's pretty cold." Hitonari tries to keep them on track. "What's that Shin?" He asks, noticing his brother holding something behind his back.

"I...wanted to apologize. So I bought some fireworks." He grunts as he and Goro get Fuuka's sleeping body on his back.

"You too?" Goro pulls out his own pack hidden in his shirt.

"Great minds think alike." Futaji chuckles as he takes out his own.

"Where did you guys even get the money?" Nari asks as Sanzo hands him a small envelope with his name on it. "Oh...that was today?" The eldest laughs as the six boys walk off into the night.

* * *

"Fuuka? Raito? Aren't the fireworks pretty?" A woman says as her finger follows a rocket up into the sky. "It's not every day this happens you know."

"Yeah, they're very pretty mama." Raito says, holding on to the sleeve of their mother's yukata. "I want to light one of my own!"

"Raito! That's dangerous! What if you get hurt." Fuuka says before a hand rests on her head and messes up her hair.

"Why not? Come on, I'll get some for us." A man's voice says as Fuuka turns to him with a smile.

* * *

_**FFFFFFFFFFFFSSSSSSSSHHHHHHH CRACKLE CRACKLE!**_

"Dad...mom...Raito...? RAITO!" Fuuka shoots up, her face illuminated by a small candle.

"Onee-san. You're awake." Raito says, crouching over the candle with five familiar faces with him.

"Hey Sanzo, isn't there something you want to tell her?" Futaji puts a hand on his brother's shoulder, squeezing it tightly as the other three stare on.

"Ow, ow! Alright fine. Fuuka, I'm sorry." Fuuka just looks on melancholically until she notices that her foot is resting on something.

"Hey! Shin! Stop that, you'll catch my clothes on fire." Goro says as the fourth brother swings around a sparkler overhead.

"Stuck up as always! Learn to take a break, we have fireworks!"

"That's even more reason to be careful, dumbass!" Goro takes a few steps away, lighting a black snake and setting it on the ground.

Fuuka looks at her feet, taking what they were resting on and walking over to the group. She holds out a stick maybe a foot long and lights it, pointing it skywards.

"I'm sorry we made you miss the festival, if we had only known how important it was to you." Futaji starts, but stops when he sees a smile on Fuuka's face.

"There's always next year. Plus, this...isn't so bad." She says as her roman candle shoots out five colored flares, first yellow, then purple, blue, green, and finally red.

* * *

**A/N: **Been waiting to write this one for a while. What do you think? Is the time with just the quints and Raito making review sheets too short and rushed? I honestly couldn't find a way to make writing the same thing over and over entertaining.


	7. Chapter 7

Uesugi stood in the sunlight, the bottom of her hair blowing in the cool autumn breeze while the rest held firmly by a beanie with black and white diamonds. Stepping around the entrance of the apartment building in fur-lined boots and black leggings, cloaked in a black quilted jacket over her white blouse, she watches the corner eagerly. Minutes, perhaps an hour or two, pass before something garners her attention.

A small fuzz of black on top of a line of red and white comes into view, refining itself into Raito's figure as it approaches. "Nee? What're you doing? You order something?" He asks, holding a small paper bag filled with stationary and a small bucket of erasers.

Fuuka smiled, rubbing her brother's hair. She said nothing, only gesturing with her fingers spread apart. The boy chuckled, taking one of the erasers and handing it to her. "You're going to need this then." He said, entering the building as another breeze blew past. The young lady stood there still, watching the day drift by her like sand filtering through an hourglass.

"Uesugi-san! Sorry to keep you waiting!" The words rang out with the clatter of footsteps and breaths of exhaustion. "It was hard to wake Sanzo. Sorry." Shin bowed, pointing to his brothers collapsed and leaning against a wall. Fuuka chuckled, walking up to each of them and telling them all to follow her.

"What? You said we were going to study? Midterms are coming up, Uesugi-chan." Goro protested, arms crossed.

"I never said that we're not studying. Just follow my lead for once." Fuuka said, crossing the road. Leading the quintuplets around town, they enter a small building.

* * *

"Uesugi-san. Welcome back. It's about that time, right?" A woman at the door greeted her. "Oh, who are they?"

"Frie...aquaintances. They're quintuplets, as you can see." Fuuka gestured to their faces. "And they all have the same cut of hair. It's difficult to distinguish them."

"You want us to cut our hair!?" Futaji takes a step back. "Never!"

"One of you can remain the same. I'm doing this because I don't want to confuse you." Fuuka sighed. "It would be bad if I thanked Sanzo for something Hitonari did, or scolded Shin for Goro's actions. I'm sure you're familiar with this." Playing her cards, she made them rethink.

"Me first!" Shin excitedly sat down. "Oooh, number 4 please!" He pointed to a picture in a magazine, imagining himself with a spikey undercut as he ran through a basketball court or made a homerun.

"I suppose I'll go next." Goro took a seat of his own, taking the magazine from his brother. "This one looks familiar. Number 7." Within a few minutes, his hair is cut shorter than Shin's, left with a cropped fringe and a textured top.

"I guess it can't hurt to try." Hitonari got his top cut and combed over to the side, checking himself out in the mirror afterwards. "Wait, who's paying for this?"

"Relax, I'll handle it." Fuuka says, adjusting her beanie. "What about you, Futaji? Getting yours cut?"

* * *

"I think I'll pass. You go Sanzo." Futaji looks out the door, at nothing in particular.

"Why should I? Who cares about how I look?" Sanzo had pulled out an old handheld and was playing what looks like a platformer.

"Don't give me that. Come on, she brought us out here for this. So, you'll do it." Futaji argues, eyeing his brother.

"If you care so much about it, why don't you get yours cut. We just need to make sure we look different, right?" He retorts, taking hold of his brothers' collar and pulling it towards a chair.

"Why you..." Futaji catches a glance at Fuuka, who was looking at the others' cuts. "You're doing it." Shoving that hand off, Futaji returned to beside the door.

"Why? You're the one that actually cares about what she has planned." The third mocked, causing the second to look puzzled.

"Just do it Sanzo. You owe her." He says sternly.

"So what?"

"Ugh! We'll talk about it later. I don't want to ruin her mood." Futaji starts clenching his fists.

"Oh? I wonder why."

"What're you two talking about?" Fuuka walks up to them.

"None of your business. Thank you for the haircut Fuuka." Sanzo pulls down his hood, leaving the two of them as he gets his hair cut short and simple, with a textured top.

* * *

"So, Uesugi. Why the sudden gesture?" He asks.

"A thank you, for the fireworks." She looks up to him, smiling. "You don't know how much it means to me. I felt bad that you had to use your first salary on me, this is the least I can do."

"Uhh...it's nothing. Thank you as well Uesugi." The boy looked away, hiding his face by looking outside

"Can't you find anything other than Uesugi to call me?"

"What? Oh...like how you call us Assholes, dicks, etcetera etcetera..." He rambles, causing her to jerk her head away.

"Call me any of those and you're fi-" Her tone was dead serious.

"Fuu-chan." Futaji mutters under his breath.

"Fuu-chan? Better than nothing I guess. Oh, by the way. If their hair gets long again, just tell me. I can bring you guys here again."

"No need. I know how to cut their hair now."

"What?" She said with a gasp.

"I learn by watching people, so I can probably cut their hair like that again if I can remember how they cut it."

"Are you sure you're human?" Fuuka asks as the woman from earlier taps her shoulder.

* * *

"That should be everyone. How about you Uesugi-san? They should be growing again."

"I think I'll let it grow out this time. I missed it." Fuuka said, clutching the beanie.

"Fuuka-chan. We'll be waiting at your place. Hurry up, we have to review for midterms." Hitonari says as they walk out the door. She waves them off before going back to the conversation.

"Are you sure about this? It's not going to look good for a while." The woman says as Fuuka removes her hat, revealing her black roots growing from her scalp.

"Yeah, I know. But..." Fuuka pulls out her phone, looking at her wallpaper. "I feel like I should stop faking everything." She says, looking at an image, of her holding up an old polaroid of a young girl with flowing black hair standing next to a boy with rough and wild hair, the color faded.

"Even cheating in school?"

"How'd you know about that? Did she tell you, Maeda-san?"

"My daughter? She's worried about you, you know. If you keep copying off of her, you're not going to learn anything." The woman says.

* * *

"Midterms are almost here, huh? Time flies so fast." Shin laughs as he leads the way back. "Uhh, do we take a left or a right here?"

"You're hopeless, how many times have you gotten lost now?" Sanzo remarks, combing his hair back before putting his hood up.

"Now, now. I think it's that way. Let's split up just to make sure, first one to get to her apartment wins." Hitonari suggests.

"Do we really have to go through this every time?" Futaji groans, garnering an eye from everyone. "Fine, fine. By the way, why'd you go for dad's cut?"

"I thought it looked good. What of it?" Goro protests. "It's been a while, hasn't it."

"Yeah, when was the last time we looked this way?" Hitonari asks.

"How unobservant can you get? It's framed at home, by dad's old desk. Our picture from that trip." Sanzo says as he turns left.

* * *

**A/N: **A mostly filler set-up chapter. Need a way to transition to midterms.


End file.
